NEW GLARUS — After defeating Waterloo 9-8 with a walk-off hit from Easton Dreyfus on Thursday, May 18, New Glarus anxiously awaited the results from the Marshall versus Cambridge game to see if the Knights had won conference. 

The team gathered around a cell phone, watching GameChanger as the final out was recorded. Marshall defeated Cambridge 4-3, giving New Glarus at least a share of the Capitol South Conference title.

“As soon as the final out came in, we all went crazy,” sophomore Patrick Alt said.

It marked New Glarus’s first conference title since 1997 when head coach Christopher Rear was a senior and his father, Frank, coached the team.

“It’s amazing,” Rear said. “The sad thing is he wasn’t here to see it and celebrate. He was a mentor and role model to me. He’s the reason I’m here — why I coach.”

New Glarus put up a seven-spot on Waterloo in the bottom of the fifth. Four straight singles from Ethan Friedrich, Leyton Mihlbauer, Ashlin Mihlbauer and Easton Dreyfus brough the first run in. Leyton Mihlbauer then scored, as Alt reached on an error. Owen Palmer, Jake Roth and Zander Hauser all tallied RBI singles to take a 7-6 lead. Friedrich scored his second run of the inning, as Ashlin Mihlbauer reached on an error.

The Pirates tied the game in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Jordan Cook and sacrifice fly from Cameron Tschanz. 

Dylan Fritz started the bottom of the frame off right, drawing a five-pitch walk. Friedrich then reached on an error. Leyton Mihlbauer moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Waterloo intentionally walked Ashlin Mihlbauer to load the bases and create a force out at each base — a decision that came back to haunt the Pirates. On the third pitch of his at-bat, Dreyfus lined a walk-off shot to center. 

The Knights pounded out 12 hits, three of which came from Dreyfus. In addition to the game-winning RBI, he drove in another run. Leyton Mihlbauer, Ashlin Mihlbauer and Owen Palmer also recorded multiple hit games. Leyton Mihlbauer picked up the win, scattering 11 hits for three earned runs. He struck out two and didn’t issue a walk.

The win gave New Glarus at least a share of the title, but the Knights could win it outright with a victory over Cambridge on Friday, May 19. The two teams entered the seventh tied at four, but the Bluejays scored two runs to take the 6-4 victory.

Cambridge’s win created a three-way tie for the Capitol South Conference title between New Glarus, Cambridge and Marshall, which all finished 7-3. Marshall swept Cambridge and split with New Glarus, while Cambridge swept New Glarus and lost to Belleville. 

Cambridge took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single from Owen Bernhardt. That lead held until the bottom of the third when New Glarus tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Matt Roth.

The Bluejays struck again in the fifth with a pair of RBI singles from Marco Damiani and Kiefer Parish. Benny Blanchar reached on a one-out error, and Clayton Stenjem moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Damiani singled, and Cambridge head coach Larry Martin sent Blanchar home. Blanchar did not slide, instead he collided with Ashlin Mihlbauer who fielded the relay throw. As a result, Mihlbauer dropped the ball.

“I’m not blaming the umpires for their calls,” Rear said of the officials allowing Blanchar to score without attempting to slide at home. “My concern is for my players’ safety. The state should really look at these rules.”

Ashlin Mihlbauer got New Glarus out of the inning by catching a pop up in foul territory.

The Knights responded, tying the game in the bottom of the frame. Ashlin Mihlbauer led off with a full-count walk, and Carter Lund hit Alt and Matt Roth to load the bases. Owen Palmer then came through with a two-RBI double to left. 

“It felt nice to get into one today,” Palmer said. “I hit right, straight into the gap.”

The two teams exchanged a pair of runs in the sixth, going into the seventh tied at four. In the top of the frame, Bluejay Stenjem singled to left. Damiani moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and Parish tallied another RBI single. 

Cambridge head coach Martin kept the pressure on, sending Parish home on a single from Bernhardt. This time, the Knights got the out at home. Martin argued the call and was subsequently tossed out of the game. Despite the drama, the Bluejays scored another run on a single from Brayden Lund. 

New Glarus went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

Alt suffered the loss, giving up four earned runs on 11 hits. He struck out three batters and walked one. At leadoff, Leyton Mihlbauer went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Palmer drove in two runs.

Although the loss stung, Palmer remained positive about the season and earning a conference title.

“No matter what, our name is up there.”